Kathua gangrape-murder case — Crime branch flouting Supreme Court direction on interrogation: BJP

DGP Vaid confirmed that BJP leaders had approached him and said he had spoken to SSP, Crime Branch, who had told him that they were trying to comply with the apex court’s directions in the matter. “It is an order of the Supreme Court and they have to follow it,” he said.

SSP, Crime Branch, Jammu, Ramesh Jalla, denied the allegations, saying that relatives of the witnesses were “kept at a visible distance which may not be more than 10 ft from the witnesses’’. “Any person who wants a clarification can come to our office and measure the distance. We are also accountable to Hon’ble Supreme Court and why would I go for a contempt of court,’’ Jalla asked.

“They (witnesses and their family members) do not want to cooperate and just want to avoid any clarification we are asking for,’’ Jalla said. “The distance between them was not more than 10 ft, but they wanted to sit with the person (investigating officer)’’ questioning the witnesses, Jalla said, adding, “They said our advocate has told us to sit with the IO.”

Three witnesses, Sahil Sharma, Sachin Sharma and Neeraj Sharma, who happen to be friends of accused Vishal Jangotra in the rape and murder case, had in a petition to the Supreme Court alleged that they were being harassed by state police, said BJP spokesperson Gupta. These witnesses, while recording their statements before a magistrate, had pointed out that their earlier statements to police were made under coercion, Gupta said.

The Supreme Court on May 16 allowed a relative of each of the three witnesses to accompany them on the condition that they shall not enter the investigation room and witness the interrogation from a “reasonably visible distance’’, Gupta said. “However, after Crime Branch resumed interrogation after the said order of the Supreme Court, it failed to comply with the directions and did not allow the relatives to accompany the three boys,’’ Gupta said.